Improvement in boot and shoe soles and plugs



J. O. GARDELL. Boot and Shoe Soles and Plugs.

- No. 214,502. Patented April 22,1879.

NFETEHS. FHQYO-UTNOGRAPNER. WASMIN T h C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. GARDELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOT AND SHOE SOLES AND PLUGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,502, dated April22, 1879; application filed I September 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN O. GARDELL, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inPlugs for Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Heretofore, to prevent wear, the soles of boots and shoes have beenprovided with metallic plugs of the same length as the thickness of thesoles and inserted at short intervals; but these metallic plugs, in use,rust and burn the leather around them and work loose, besides making theboot or shoe quite heavy.

My invention consists, mainly, in making plugs of compressed wood forthis purpose, which will be light, will not work loose, and will besufficiently hard to relieve the sole of most of the wear.

The invention further consists in making the compressed-wood plugs oftapering form, adapting them to be driven into the holes in the solofrom the inside before it is fastened in position.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a view of the preferred form of my plug;Fig. 2, a view of the sole of a boot or shoe having my plug appliedthereto, and Fig. 3 a section of a portion of the same.

A is the plug, made of compressed wood, preferably some hard wood, orthe plug may be compressed after being formed. The plugs are inserted atshort distances apart in holes cut through the outer leather sole, B, ofa boot or shoe, and, if longer than the sole is thick, are cut ott'flush with both sides of the same; or, if desired, may project a littleon the outer face of the sole.

The plugs will retain the size to which they are compressed till thesole is wet, when they will expand and will not again shrink to theirformer size. Thus it will be seen that the plugs are tightened by theuse of the boot or or shoe and cannot become loose.

The plugs are preferably made in the shape of a frustum of a cone, andare driven into the sole from the inside, Fig. 3, which, in connectionwith the expansion of the plugs, makes them absolutely secure andimmovable; but it is evident that, without departing from the spirit ofmy invention, the plugs could be made angular in cross-section, or ofany other shape, and still preserve the tapering form, or that theycould be made either round or angular in cross-section, and withstraight sides Without taper. In the latter case the plugs might beprovided with one or more grooves, into which the leather would jam whenthe plugs expand.

The Wooden plugs being very hard will wear for a long time.

My compressed-wood plugs possess over the metal plugs other advantagesthan those of lightness and security, in that they can be made cheaper,and will prevent slipping when the wearer is walking on ice or othersmooth surfaces.

Plugs of the same construction can be applied to the heels of boots andshoes, if desired, as well as to the soles.

I claim- 1. As an improved article, an outer sole for a boot or shoe,provided with a filling of tapering compressed wood plugs, as shown anddescribed.

2. A compressed tapering wooden. plug adapted to be inserted in the soleof a boot or shoe, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 2d day of August, 1878.

JOHN O. GARDELL.

Witnesses:

Gno. R. LYON, FRANK J. SALISBURY.

